Doing it right!
by Cattyclam29
Summary: Yeah it's almost been a year since season 8 came out and I'm still mega-salty about the ending. So, here's another fix-it fic that gives you wholesome klance, a happier path to the ending. Might continue to the end of the season, might just leave it as is.


**Hiiiii it's me, I bet you thought I was dead. Honestly, I thought I was too. I'm still not over season 8. I'm still suffering over our loss. So here, have my angst! I don't own VLD, duh, if I did, it would have ended much better. Anywho-**

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The tree's leaves and petals rained down into the night air around them. It was warm, and the newly revived tree seemed to heave a fresh breath of oxygen.

Despite this, Lance found it hard to breathe. Allura stepped back from the trunk and smiled sadly at him. "It's funny. While we were in space, we were a sort of family. We were all alone out there, but we were alone together... But now that we're back on Earth I see that you all have families, a place to go back to after this war. And I do not, and I feel so uncertain about my future."

Lance's heart constricted. "Allura, even though we're not all trapped out on the other side of the galaxy, we're still together. And even though we don't all sleep in the same building anymore, we're still nearby. Even though we have blood-relatives here, we're still our own family. We've come through a lot together as a team, as friends. Know that you not only have us as a family, but a seat at the table with my family, and everyone else's." It was time. This was the moment. Then why did it feel wrong? Lance's face grew solemn. "Allura, I don't want you to feel alone when you're with me. I want you to be happy..." he choked out, ignoring the screaming alarm in the back of his head, ignoring the way his heart felt like it was shredding itself. "I love you, and I'd do anything to make you happy."

For a moment, Lance felt the tightness in his chest ease, seeing how Allura's face softened and a small smile graced her lips. "You truly feel that way?" She whispered into the cool night air. Lance nodded, the tight feeling sitting on his heart, like something was wrong. Like he was lying.

Allura moved to step toward him, but immediately moved back and shook her head. She kept her eyes trained on the ground, her smile faltered, then returned as a melancholy phantom.

"I really appreciate what you said about us being family. But Lance, I can't lie to you, as my friend. I've noticed your attraction, but I don't think I could ever acknowledge your feelings."

Lance stumbled back like she'd punched him in the chest.

She plowed on, eager to explain. "It wouldn't be fair to you, knowing how I still feel about Lotor, even after he betrayed us. Betrayed me." She squeezed her eyes shut, not letting her tears escape. Allura drew in a heavy breath. "And it wouldn't be fair to me, because your feelings for me are old." She could see it in the way his shoulders had tensed up defensively every time they'd been near, in the way he now hid his hands in his pockets defensively. "I could feel the shift in you, and in myself. Maybe once we could have been, but we've both given our hearts to another. Now, you seem, like you said, like family to me. I love you like I'd love a brother, and I wouldn't be able to give you happiness. For me, it's too late to… pursue that happiness with Lotor. But for you…"

Her sad smile grew a bit as she met his eyes. They were confused, yet so crystal clear in how he knew what she was going to tell him. They were hopeful, but guarded. He was so frightened to admit this to himself, and it was high time someone told him it was okay.

"You know how you feel about him. And I can tell you right now that you should be with him right now instead of me. You don't have to be afraid of loving Keith, because he's already given you his heart." He gasped softly, eyes widening, hands slipping from his pockets to cross over his chest. Like he could protect his heart from the truth she spoke. She closed the gap between them, placing the hand she'd used to heal the tree over his heart. "Go give him yours." She whispered, leaning up to brush her lips against his cheek. Allura stepped back. Lance was frozen, unshed tears brimming his eyes.

"H-how-" he choked. Lance swallowed, a tear trailing down his cheek. A small, somewhat bitter smile tilted the edges of his lips. "How did you know?"

Allura held herself up regally. "It's my duty as your princess to know my paladins. You really did not make it easy." She shook her head, giggling a bit. "But I could see it in your eyes. The way you look at him. The way he looks at you tells me he feels the same way."

Lance gaped. "Y-you think so?" He asked breathlessly. The weight on his chest tightened.

She nodded. "I know so. Now quit wasting your time with me and go get your paladin!" Allura laughed as his face broke into a wide, wide grin. She'd never seen him so happy.

He stepped close, took her hands in his, and placed a gentlemanly kiss to the back of her knuckles. "Thank you." He whispered, looking like he'd just shaken off the weight of the world. He felt hope bubbling through him, and Allura smiled- a real smile- for the first time that night.

"We both deserve the future planned out for us." She squeezed his hands once and let them fall from hers.

His smile grew impossibly wider. He took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. "Well, I'm still a gentleman, and a paladin, and it would be rude of me to leave you here." Lance offered his arm to her. "Can I walk you back?"

She laughed at his chivalry and gently linked their arms. "You may. But as soon as we return you're going directly to Keith!" She ordered.

"Yes, your majesty." He laughed heartily, for the first time in months, Allura realized. Just how miserable had he been? She felt guilt weigh on her heart. Allura made a silent promise to have one of the paladins talk with Lance about the last couple of months in space.

They walked in peace for a while. It wasn't weighted quiet like the journey to the dead garden, and Allura knew it would have been even heavier if she'd accepted Lance's confession.

It wasn't long before she found Coran waiting at the house, allowing herself to be passed from Lance's arm to the older Altean's.

Lance disappeared at the side of his home for a moment and returned with a bright blue motorcycle.

"My mama and pop had gotten me this for my birthday before I disappeared." Lance explained, smiling at the little cafe racer. "I never got the chance to ride it…" His smile dipped before his eyes filled with resolution. "Better make good use of it now!" He gave the Alteans one last smile. "Thank you, again."

"Go get him already!" Allura shooed him, laughing as he put on his helmet in a hurry and practically peeled out of his front lawn. He tore down the road like he'd been riding his bike for the years he'd been gone instead of a giant lion.

Once his dust cloud had disappeared, Coran turned to her. "I'm so very proud of you, Allura." He smiled, but his eyes twinkled with sadness and pride.

She looked up at him and smiled softly. "He was not my intended. It would be unfair of me to keep him from happiness. And-" she looked to where he'd last been seen. "I don't think I'd love him. Not the way he deserves. Not the way Keith does."

Coran said nothing, simply guided her back to the Garrison so she could rest with the last of the support of her race before their final battle.

••••

Lance's chest hurt as he flew down the road. He couldn't get to the old shack out in the desert fast enough, positive that Keith had hidden himself out there to spend his last night with his mother and Kosmo, remembering his father and the life they'd never been able to have.

He felt kind of bad storming in on their time together, but if what Allura said was true, then Keith might not care that much. For the first time in months- maybe more than a year- Lance felt a flicker, a flame of hope ignited in his chest. It was like a candle, bright and burning in the dark caverns Lance had buried his heart in, but it could easily be snuffed out if Keith- if Keith…

Lance shook his head and switched up another gear to go faster without murdering his bike. He had to keep faith. He had to hope he hadn't ruined his chances. His mind kept flashing him back to the rooftop of the Garrison, mere hours before. He'd felt so unsure with Coran, wearing sausages and pots and pans to just take Allura to his house for dinner. He'd needed security, an answer to why his chest turned icy while he was talking to Allura, why his heart sped up and burned when he thought of Keith.

He'd found Keith on the roof. He'd cursed himself for not changing before seeking him out, but once Coran had released him, he'd just wanted to see his red paladin. Keith's eyes had nearly bugged out of his head when he'd seen Lance's ensemble, and Lance had turned his head away to hide his embarrassed blush. He wished he'd looked better in front of Keith.

But his heart had fallen when Keith had congratulated him for his 'date' with Allura. But his soft words of comfort had completely turned him into putty, making it seem like his excitement was for Allura instead of for how Keith saw Lance. Yeah, a goofball, but also a strong paladin, a partner that always had Keith's back. Knew exactly who he was and what he had to offer.

Lance understood now. He had his mere heart to offer. But not to the princess. To the paladin. Why was it taking so long to get to that freaking shack?

Lance's bike tired rumbled over the rocky terrain, old school compared to Keith's hover bike. Like Lance cares about how old school it was when it was taking him to Keith.

Finally, finally, Lance skidded to a stop at the front of the shack. Soft firelight flickered around the small cabin, illuminating from the many oil lanterns hanging and sitting around, no doubt posing a fire threat. But it made the atmosphere of the shack cozy and welcoming. Lance tugged his helmet off, quickly fixed his hair, and hurried to knock on the front door. He felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest.

There was no noise from inside and Lance panicked, knocking again, hoping against hope that Keith was here. He felt his breathing pick up, and was about to step away from the porch and start pacing-

The door swung open.

And there was Keith. He seemed shocked to find Lance at his door, still dressed up for his dinner with his family-plus-Allura, looking panicked. Lance's eyes locked with Keith's wide, violet eyes. They held that familiar warmth, swirled with confusion and the heat of the firelight flickering from the lanterns, and from within him. He really was the red paladin.

"It's you…" Lance heaved out breathlessly.

Keith quirked an eyebrow. "I, uh, kind of lived here."

Lance's eyes were distant, and he shook his head with an airy, nervous laugh. "No, Keith…" Lance stepped closer. "It's you. It's always been you."

Keith's eyes widened considerably, a warm blush slashing across his pale cheeks. "What do you…"

"I was so scared I was going to miss you here, so scared you'd be gone." He was rambling, seemingly in shock and trying to convince himself that he really was standing in front of Keith. His bottom lip quivered as he brought a hand up to set it on Keith's chest, eyes laser focused on the point of contact.

"It's you. It always was, and I was so dumb-" Lance was rising to hysteria.

Keith panicked at his clear distress. "Lance, what's-"

Lance cut him off. "It's you, Keith. It's you." He kept repeating.

Keith didn't understand what that meant! "It's me! What? It's me!" He placed his hand over Lance's on his chest, over his heart.

"It's you…" Lance froze. "That I love. Not her. It was never her." He whispered, a tear slipping from his eye.

Keith was silent.

Lance steeled himself to meet his eyes. He was unprepared for the tsunami of emotion he was met with. It washed over him, terrifying and thrilling, and Lance let himself succumb to the violent pull of its fiery tide.

"I love you, Keith." Lance admitted, helplessly truthful. The tightness that has been shredding his heart disappeared. The heavy weight of such a strong secret vanished as the truth washed over Keith, and Lance got to see every emotion flit across his features like dogs chasing cars. There was a silence in which Lance felt himself stop breathing, felt the weight of the world hang threateningly over his head, waiting for Keith's response.

Keith let a small noise slip past his lips before he was rushing forward to crash with the force of his tsunami into Lance.

Lance felt like every single one of his molecules had split apart, and then formed back together in effort to mould perfectly to Keith. The feel of Keith's soft lips just about destroyed Lance altogether. Lance lifted his hand to cup Keith's jaw, hold his strong shoulder as strong arms encircled his waist, drawing their chests flush together.

Their kiss was blissfully passionate, mind-numbingly perfect. Keith was desperate, pushing as much feeling through their one kiss as possible, and Lance never wanted to let go. Lance pulled away, finding that both had let tears slip down their faces, heaving for breath. "I love you." Lance panted, closing the distance between their mouths, then pulled back to say it again. Keith pulled him closer, walking backwards into the small house.

The door was kicked closed. The back of Keith's knees hit the edge of the couch and they barely parted while he fell to sit on the dusty, old cushion before Lance was in his lap.

Keith pulled away enough to press their foreheads together, his hot breath tickling across Lance's lips. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He slotted their mouths together again, claiming any thoughts Lance might have had. "I love you, too." Keith whispered between kisses. "So, so much." The kiss was urgent, like they could only show how much their hearts were bursting for the other in that one touch.

Both were wheeling, feeling the rush of a free fall, but not caring because they were falling together. Keith brushed tears from Lance's face as they met and met again and again, like the shockwaves that follow a tsunami.

"I'm sorry I didn't-" Lance was cut off by Keith's insistent mouth.

"Don't…" Keith hushed him with a kiss. "Don't…"

Lance shook his head. "It was an excuse-" he plowed on, more tears slipping free. "I was s-so scared."

He hiccuped, letting Keith draw him into his arms and hold him to his chest. "You've always terrified me." Keith whispered back, humor lilting his tone. "The way you get under my skin, the way you know me without ever needing me to let you in. You just walked right in, past all of my walls." Keith kissed the top of Lance's head.

Lance let out a watery laugh. "I just had to knock." He sent Keith back in time, to the first time they saw the blue lion, then shocked him back to the present with a silly little knock to his chest, right above his heart.

Keith laughed, held him tighter. Lance lifted his head to meet his eyes. "I missed you so much." Lance admitted, his face tightening with old grief. "It was like a part of me was missing." Keith's chest constricted, and he leaned down to capture Lance's mouth again. Lance's wet eyelashes fluttered when he pulled away. "The better part of me." Lance whispered.

Keith groaned and dipped his head to taste his lips again, unable to stay away. Lance was breathless. "I'm not leaving you again." Keith swore. "I won't leave you." Lance cracked, burying his face in the crook of Keith's neck. He felt bad getting Keith's shirt wet, but he didn't seem to mind.

Lance let himself be held until his tears stopped, the comfort of Keith's arms banishing his sadness. "You're the only one I've ever loved. I'm sorry it took me so long to say anything-"

"Hey, it's my fault too. I didn't think you would ever love me back, and I was too scared to lose my best friend." Keith's hand drew comforting circles down his back. Lance let a content sigh loose.

"Well now you're stuck with me, Kogane." Lance pulled back to grin at him.

"There are worse fates." Keith murmured, more to himself as he met the ocean blue of Lance's eyes.

Lance blanched at his honesty, and how suave it was. "You've been holding out on me, Kogane. You're totally a romantic sap!" He grinned and laughed at Keith's blush. "You cheeseball!" Keith shrugged one shoulder. It was such a Keith thing to do that Lance laughed and ducked his head, shaking it a bit. His eyes locked with Keith's shining gaze and he felt the air leave his chest. Everything that had just happened was just… unbelievable. Lance's shoulders stilled from his laughter, and he grew somber.

"This is real, right?" Lance whispered.

Something darkened in Keith's eyes, something good, and it made Lance shiver all the way to his toes. "You tell me…" Was all the warning Lance got before his thoughts were swept clean with Keith's kiss.

He let a groan rumble from his throat, spurring Keith forward. For a while it was just them, all mouths, lips, hands, and bodies. Lance slipped his hands from Keith's shoulders to his neck, then into Keith's hair. He felt like he could weep at the softness. "What the hell shampoo do you use?!" He whispered incredulously at Keith's lips. Keith just let out a puff of a laugh, pressed closer, trying to feed the fire that was burning through their veins. Lance tugged softly at his locks, eyes closing in rapture at the rumble that barely escaped Keith and into the space between them before their lips were pressed together with bruising passion. Lance wanted to hear that noise forever.

Eventually they quelled, their stormy ocean calming to the peaceful lap and pull of a secluded cove. "I don't want to rush this with you." Lance whispered in the quiet of the night. Their fingers were intertwined, bodies close enough that Lance's breath tickled Keith's mouth. Keith smiled crookedly, eyes shining in the lowlight. The new scar on Keith's cheek caught Lance's eye and he raised tentative fingers to his face, hovering above his skin.

Keith brought a hand up to hold Lance's. "It's ok. It doesn't hurt." Lance nodded silently and let his fingers graze the sensitive skin, heard Keith's breath hitch.

"All of that time… two years in the abyss." He murmured, searching Keith's eyes for what exactly had changed while he'd been gone. "You found your mom."

Keith grinned, a rare, crooked grin that sent all kinds of things aflutter through Lance. "Yeah, and I came back bigger, cooler, and grizzled." His bright teeth gleamed with his smirk even in the lowlight. Lance groaned and hid his face in Keith's chest as he barked out a laugh.

"Noooo we don't talk about thaaaaat…" He whined, but he felt a smile tugging at his mouth as Keith laughed even more. He lifted his head to look at Keith. "You're cruel to me Kogane." He pouted.

Keith just shook his head and pressed a soft kiss to Lance's lips. "I love you."

It was so tender, so domestic, that Lance was positive he was dead.

Keith smiled at his shocked silence. "You know she likes you too. She approved of you as soon as you said all of that stuff about me when I walked out of the pod."

Lance quirked a brow. "Who?"

Keith chuffed out a laugh. "My mom. She likes you. Said that the only thing she'd change is smacking some sense into you."

Lance had a sudden thought. He grew nervous. "Uh, Krolia isn't here, is she? Is she gonna smack me? Please don't let her smack me. I'm fragile. I'm a fragile little human."

Keith smiled at his anxiety. "No, Kosmo zapped them back to the Garrison for the night." Lance's face relaxed, glad that he wouldn't have to explain why he was smothering Keith to his scary Galra mother. "I told them I wanted to ride my hover bike back. One last ride before we leave."

Lance's face fell. "We're leaving again tomorrow." He whispered.

Keith recognized the pain in his voice. "Hey, it's ok…" he whispered as Lance closed his eyes to suppress his tears. "We may be paladins, but I will always, always love you first. I promise, we're going to be okay."

"I should have told you earlier- I should have-" Lance's rant was cut off before it even started as Keith claimed his mouth and his mind.

"We can't get stuck in the past." Keith whispered. "We only have the future."

Lance choked a bit. "You're my future. That's what I wanted to tell you in space, but you looked so upset with me for losing the stupid game and I-"

Keith held up a palm, brows knit in confusion. "Are you talking about Garfle Warfle Snick?" Keith's brows knit. "Lance, I wasn't mad at you! I swear. I'm sorry for what I said. So sorry." He pressed a long kiss to his lips, another to his forehead. "I was just so, so mad that anyone would hurt you like Bob was. All of the insults, everything. I want to spend eternity with you. I do. I just knew that getting you out of there would mean we all have the best chance of escape. You would be the one most likely to get us out of there."

He shook his head as Lance let out a keening whine and cried. Keith wiped his tears away as they came. "I panicked when you said I was the future, and I reacted on my stress. You're our smartest paladin, Lance, the glue that keeps us together. Voltron would have crashed and burned- would never have even risen from the depths of space- if it were not for you. Allura and Coran would be asleep, so many would be dead and defeated by the Galra."

Keith paused when Lance's watery gaze met his. It knocked the breath out of his chest. "I wouldn't have found you. I wouldn't have been able to fall so completely for you, to be your friend, to kiss you…"

Lance surged forward again to press their mouths together. Salty tears mixed with the sweetness of the kiss. Lance laughed and pulled away, wiping his eyes roughly. Keith pulled his hands back to wipe his tears with the soft pad of his thumb. "You've got quite a way with words when you actually talk…" Lance teased, voice kind of nasally from crying.

"You make me want to talk, to be a team player, to be the leader I needed to be when the time came." Keith said, voice and eyes soft. Lance melted all over again, wondering how he wasn't a puddle on the floor. "My sharpshooter." Keith whispered, and a giddy blush rushed to Lance's cheeks, making him lightheaded.

"My samurai." Lance giggled. He pressed a sweet kiss to Keith's lips. "My strong leader…" another kiss, "my red paladin…" Keith groaned and tucked his hands under Lance's now-frumpled blue dress shirt as they kissed. The contact made Lance suck in a breath, fingers twisting through Keith's silky hair.

Lance's nicest brown shoes danced their way to the ground as he kicked them off, moving closer to Keith, pushing him back down onto the couch. There was a soft shift of Keith's legs and melodious thump of his shoes following Lance's to the floor as their lips never left. Lance's strong arms held him above Keith, whose hands were wandering the panes of Lance's back.

They pulled away gasping. Keith leaned up to place a small kiss on Lance's breathless lips, laying back to gaze at the man above him. "Beautiful." Keith whispered, making Lance flush and whine, embarrassed. Keith giggled as Lance hid his burning face in the crook of his neck, letting them both just lay and embrace the other, enjoying their presence.

"I know we're leaving tomorrow, but that doesn't mean this has to stop… that I'll stop loving you." Keith whispered. Lance sat up a bit to meet his eyes.

They were blazing with a new determination, one Keith hadn't seen before. "Like hell I'll let you go that easy. I've just got you, and something as simple as saving the world won't take you from me." He smiled down at Keith, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips. Keith smiled into it, feeling Lance's words fill him with hope for their future.

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**Yes hello I would die for my boys, Thanks for coming to my TED talk.**

**I hope you enjoyed, let me know with Favs, Follows, and Comments! Love u all!**


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